Crown assembly for an electronic watch

Abstract

An electronic watch may include a housing defining a side wall having a through-hole and a crown assembly including an actuation member. The actuation member may include a crown shaft extending through the through-hole and having an exterior portion defining an input surface and a crown ring coupled to the exterior portion of the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft. The crown assembly may further include an optical encoder component attached to the actuation member and defining a group of optical features. The electronic watch may further include an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly by detecting motion of the group of optical features and an electrocardiograph sensor comprising a sensing component. The sensing component may be conductively coupled to the actuation member via a conductive path at least partially defined by the crown shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic watch comprising:
 a housing; 
 a touch-sensitive display at least partially enclosed by the housing; 
 a crown assembly comprising:
 a crown shaft extending through a side wall of the housing; 
 a crown ring electrically isolated from the crown shaft; and 
 a sensor component coupled to the crown shaft; 
 
 an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly using the sensor component; and 
 a sensing system conductively coupled to an axial end surface of the crown assembly by a conductive path defined by a set of components comprising the crown shaft and the sensor component. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic watch of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a switch configured to be actuated by the crown assembly in response to a translational input applied to the crown assembly; and 
 a conductive spring element having a portion positioned between the switch and the sensor component, wherein the set of components defining the conductive path further includes the conductive spring element. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic watch of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the electronic watch further comprises a body structure within the housing and positioned at an end of the crown assembly; and 
 the switch is coupled to the body structure. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic watch of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the body structure comprises a polymer material at least partially encapsulating a conductor; and 
 the conductive spring element is conductively coupled to the conductor. 
 
     
     
       5. The electronic watch of  claim 4 , wherein the set of components defining the conductive path further includes the conductor. 
     
     
       6. The electronic watch of  claim 2 , wherein the conductive spring element comprises a support leg that is configured to flex in response to the translational input. 
     
     
       7. The electronic watch of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the portion of the conductive spring element positioned between the switch and the sensor component is a friction guard; 
 the crown assembly is rotatable relative to the housing; 
 the crown assembly rotates against the friction guard when the crown assembly is rotated; and 
 the friction guard protects the switch from rotational friction from the crown assembly. 
 
     
     
       8. An electronic watch comprising:
 a housing; 
 biometric sensing circuitry at least partially enclosed by the housing; and 
 a crown assembly defining an axial end surface external to the housing and configured to receive a touch input, the crown assembly comprising:
 a crown shaft; and 
 a sensor component coupled to the crown shaft; 
 
 a switch assembly configured to detect translation of the crown assembly; 
 a conductive spring element having a portion positioned between the sensor component and the switch assembly; and 
 sensing circuitry configured to detect the touch input via a conductive path defined at least in part by the crown shaft and the conductive spring element. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic watch of  claim 8 , wherein the biometric sensing circuitry is part of an electrocardiograph sensor. 
     
     
       10. The electronic watch of  claim 8 , wherein the conductive path is further defined by the sensor component. 
     
     
       11. The electronic watch of  claim 10 , further comprising a rotation sensing system including:
 an optical emitter configured to direct light onto the sensor component; and 
 an optical detector configured to receive at least a portion of the light reflected by the sensor component. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic watch of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the electronic watch further comprises a bracket positioned within the housing; and 
 the switch assembly is coupled to the bracket and positioned between the bracket and an end of the crown assembly. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic watch of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the bracket comprises:
 a polymer body; and 
 a conductor at least partially encapsulated in the polymer body; and 
 
 the conductor is conductively coupled to the conductive spring element and defines part of the conductive path. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic watch of  claim 12 , wherein the conductive spring element imparts a force on the switch assembly in response to a translational input applied to the axial end surface of the crown assembly. 
     
     
       15. An electronic device comprising:
 a housing at least partially defining an internal volume; 
 an electrocardiograph sensing system within the internal volume; 
 a crown assembly having an external portion positioned outside of the internal volume and configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input; and 
 a switch bracket within the internal volume and positioned at an end of the crown assembly, the switch bracket comprising:
 a body structure; 
 a switch coupled to the body structure and configured to detect the translational input; and 
 a conductor at least partially encapsulated in the body structure, wherein: 
 
 the conductor and at least part of the crown assembly define at least a portion of a conductive path configured to conductively couple the electrocardiograph sensing system to an object in contact with the external portion of the crown assembly. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the crown assembly comprises:
 a crown shaft having an internal portion within the internal volume; and 
 a sensor component attached to the internal portion of the crown shaft; and 
 
 the electronic device further comprises an optical detector configured to detect the rotational input by detecting rotation of the sensor component. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the crown shaft and the sensor component define at least a portion of the conductive path. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the crown assembly further includes a crown ring coupled to the crown shaft defining a user contact portion of the crown assembly. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 18 , wherein the crown ring is electrically isolated from the crown shaft. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the electronic device further includes a conductive spring element having a portion positioned between the crown assembly and the switch; 
 the conductive spring element is conductively coupled to the conductor; and 
 the conductive path includes the conductive spring element.